On the eve of Louisiana's inaugural sales-tax holiday for guns and ammunition, which starts today and runs through Sunday, some unlikely critics emerged to assail the program.

During a phone conference on Thursday, officials with the Tax Foundation, a Washington group that advocates lower taxes, called the holiday a "political gimmick" meant to promote gun ownership.

"This is an inappropriate use of the tax code," said Joseph Henchman, the foundation's director of state projects. "The tax code should be used for raising revenue ..... not affecting behaviors."

The Legislature created the annual "Second Amendment Weekend" during the recent lawmaking session with Senate Bill 52 by Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, which Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law in July.

On the first Friday in September through the following Sunday, shoppers can sidestep the 4 percent state sales tax and any local taxes on purchases of firearms and other hunting supplies.

Describing the holiday as "a subsidy for gun buyers paid for by nongun buyers," Tax Foundation economist Mark Robyn criticized the state for providing preferential treatment to a single industry.

"The government should be acting in a neutral way toward all purchases," Robyn said.

Louisiana offers a general sales-tax holiday during the first weekend in August and a tax break on hurricane-preparedness items during the last weekend of May.

In Baton Rouge, Jim McClain, owner of Jim's Firearms said his regular customers have descended on the store in recent weeks to have guns set aside, so they can return over the weekend and save money on taxes. Among the 80 firearms he's holding are a $3,500 shotgun -- a purchase that will cost $315 less without taxes.

"It should be a fairly busy weekend. We've got quite a lot of weapons on hold right now," McClain said.

But the weekend rush also comes with headaches, said Morey Butler, a co-owner of 10-8 Tactical Gear & Supply on Jefferson Highway in Elmwood.

"Because of this we've had a downtrend all week," Butler said. "It affects the way business is being run. It impacts your immediate potential for income."

Butler's shop does not typically open on Sunday, but he said he plans to open and staff the store that day to make up for sales he lost during the week. The store typically breaks even during tax holidays, he said, because consumers tend to wait or make earlier purchases to reap the tax savings.

Butler suggested that the state adjust the holiday so that it runs for five to seven days.

"You'll have less of a rush to do things" by expanding the tax holiday, Butler said. "You'll help people who work on Fridays and Saturdays and can't take advantage of these things."

Tom Mincher, owner of American Hunter Gun & Archery in Covington said he hoped for a slight uptick in business but expected standard sales for the week.

"Especially with the economy the way it is, guys who were going to buy stuff a couple of weeks ago will just wait," Mincher said.

Jen DeGregorio can be reached at jdegregorio@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3495. The Associated Press contributed to this report.